Firefly Elytra

Elytra is a line of orbital transfer vehicles that Firefly Aerospace is developing to move payloads and satellites from one orbit to another within low Earth orbit, geostationary orbit and cislunar space. It is meant to let smaller rockets, including Firefly's own Alpha, deliver larger payloads to harder orbits, and to support relocation, servicing, mission extension and deorbiting of satellites. Three versions are planned: Elytra Dawn, the smallest, for low Earth orbit; Elytra Dusk, for transfers from low orbit to geostationary orbit; and Elytra Dark, the most capable, for long transfers to cislunar space and beyond. Elytra Dark is to carry Blue Ghost Mission 2 to lunar orbit and deploy the European Space Agency's Lunar Pathfinder payload. In March 2025 the Defense Innovation Unit awarded Firefly a contract for three to six Elytra Dawn vehicles.